Can the Dash app train you to be a better driver? One year road test!

It’s a rare situation, reviewing an app which almost instantly becomes a service we use every day.

The developers behind the Dash driving app are on a mission to help people become safer drivers, and to save those people money by being better drivers. This free app connects to your car’s computer (through the use of some kind of wireless adapter), and collects detailed information on driving habits and engine data. When combine with your phone’s GPS, users can can save extremely detailed mileage logs on every trip they take, get instant notifications on “undesirable” driving behavior, find cheap gas in their location, note vehicle maintenance issues, check engine error codes, and send all of this data to a Google Docs spreadsheet.

While cars are becoming more high tech, it’s surprising that more manufacturers haven’t developed first party solutions for connecting car data like mileage with customer’s phones. Personally, the manufacturer app paired with my car is focused mostly on entertainment solutions, like including support for Facebook notification through my in-dash display.

The gamification of fitness through wearable tech has become a really popular way to motivate people to live and eat healthier. Can this same strategy be used to make someone a safer driver? Will we see fuel and maintenance savings? We’ve been using the Dash app for over a year, and now it’s time to share our results.

Juan has been geeking out on personal computing since before PCs had GUIs. After studying Theatre in college, Juan worked with a contractor that supported servers and mobile devices for Department of Energy facilities. After moving to Los Angeles California, and working as a commercial casting director, he now dedicates his time to discussing the tech landscape as a consumer advocate. You’ll often see him pop in local news broadcasts. Passionate about mobile content creation, he recently published his first book on smartphone photography.